Indian Film Festival in UAE

Nov 04, 2008

With the aim to familiarise the generation next of United Arab Emirates (UAE) to the Indian cinema, an Indian Film Festival in Abu Dhabi kicked off on Monday (2-11-2008). It was inaugurate by famous producer, director Yash Chopra.

Speaking on the occasion Yash Chopra said that he always believed that love is the only feeling in the world that can never be compromised. He expressed his wish to do something for humankind to bring peace to the world crossing all borders and films are able to do it.

Addressing the audience on the occasion the Minister for Higher Education & Scientific Research of UAE, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak said Indian cinema possesses an unusual power to unify diverse peoples. The language of art connects us all and it reminds us of our commonness, individuality and our potential to achieve.

Speaking on the occasion, India's ambassador to the UAE Talmiz Ahmad said that the festival was the first of a series of initiatives being taken by the Indian mission to boost cultural ties between Indian and the UAE. He said this is an effort on our part to reach out to various communities in the UAE as Indian cinema depicts all aspects of life.

Renowned scholar of Indian film and author of an acclaimed biography of Yash Chopra, Rachel Dwyer was also present on the occasion.

The screening of the first film of the festival, "Veer-Zaara", produced and directed by Yash Chopra took place on the occasion.

The Indian Film Festival at Abu Dhabi will run from the 2nd to the 11th of November and will showcase some of the most memorable works of Indian cinema from the recent past, as well as some works produced in the UAE itself.

The other films which will be screened in the presence of their directors include Ashutosh Gowarikar's Jodha Akbar, ‘Daatu' (Kannada), 'Anuranan: The Resonance' (Bengali), 'Kayyooppu' and 'Gul Mohar' (Malayalam), 'Paruthiveeran' (Tamil).

This will be followed by two day seminar on 7th and 8th of this month, on The cinema of India in which famous directors , writers ,film makers of Indian Cinema will participate.

The Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH) is partnering with the Indian Embassy in this effort.